A 23-year-old man has been confirmed dead, while three others are in critical condition following a collapse of a mining pit at Nkonteng, near Nkawie in the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
The unfortunate incident occurred on Monday, December 16, 2024.
The deceased, identified as Osei Kwabena from Offinso, was trapped in the collapse and could not be rescued. The three others were saved but sustained injuries.
The injured individuals are currently receiving treatment at the Nkawie Government Hospital.
This was revealed by Koyim Mahama Iddrisu, the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipal Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
“One good citizen called me that a galamsey pit had collapsed on four people, and since they were around, they were able to save three, but since the fourth person was in the pit, it collapsed on him, so when they removed him, he was dead,” he noted in an interview monitored by The Ghana Report on Citi News.
Meanwhile, the body of the deceased has been transferred to the mortuary.
This comes after the lifeless body of a three-year-old girl who went missing at Sefwi Akuraa, a farming community in the Amenfi West area of the Western Region, was found floating in an illegal mining pit a few months ago.
The community members raised concerns about the increase in illegal mining activities in the area.
The little girl was reportedly playing outside with other children in the community, close to Samreboi in the Amenfi West Municipality, and went missing.
After three days of searching and combing the entire area, the lifeless body of the toddler was found floating on stagnant water in one of the many galamsey pits located in the town.